Merton Engineering Co. Limited
tractor]] The Merton Engineering Company Limited who were based at Feltham in Middlesex, England. This small company produced an original model range of machines that appear to have disappeared into history, along with many other British engineering firms. The MERTON company were originally designated and registered during 1921 as MERTON SAND AND GRAVEL PITS LIMITED but by the 1940s it was renamed MERTON ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED.Later on the company was acquired by the Essex firm of Whitlock Brothers Limited who became the owners of the Merton company until at least the 1980s when production ended. 'Company History' The company started in 1921 as "Merton Sand and Gravel Pits Limited" as one of the Middlesex suppliers of farm equipment and builder/contractor suppliers but later the firm started manufacturing all sorts of agricultural implements of their own, and they were frequently mistaken by a similar looking Bray or a Ford earthmover model. In the 1960s MERTON actually bought an original BRAY 400-Series 4WD loader and studied about how it was built and how it worked as an inspiring attempt to develop its own loader models that were available in Diesel and Petrol options most of their machinery used the famous and reliable Fordson Tractor Diesel running gear. '''Before further development work began Merton went bankrupt in the late 1960s but were soon acquired by Whitlock Brothers Limited of Essex a very similar but bigger company who resumed Merton machinery production within a few weeks but under new management and ownership. '''Whitlock Brothers saves Merton Engineering company and is merged. This was the kickstart plan for MERTON to produce a similar earthmover machine that became very useful for builders and farmers alike that could be driven and used just about anywhere it was needed as most Merton models had 4WD axles. This new loader was the beginning of a series of new MERTON offroad loader models available with a choice of wheeled or tracked different models that ran mostly on FORDSON DIESEL mechanicals thanks to the highly pratical and durable FORD TRACTOR SKID UNIT CHASSIS that formed their original range of new machinery models until the early 1980s. MERTON ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED was taken over by Whitlock in 1968 for their wheeled loader range.Post by user IBH on CMN Few details are known about this take over, but WHITLOCK BROTHERS LIMITED of Great Yeldham in Essex started in a very similar way themselves also adopting the famous Ford Tractor Skid Unit Chassis and Whitlock kept the MERTON company active until the 1980s. Company registration number: 179230. Unfortunately due to serious competition in the market with slow sales and then market losses, MERTON closed its doors in 1985, however they were listed in the local Feltham phone book ( until June 1968) - Feltham 3045. Sometime in the 1940s it changed its name to "Merton Engineering Co. Limited" and then again sometime later to "North Feltham Engineering (Merton) Limited" before eventually closing its doors on 7th October 1985. The company was based at North Feltham Trading Estate, Faggs Road, Feltham, Middlesex. MERTON were based next door to another similar but larger company called BRAY CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY LIMITED both firms worked from the same Industrial Estate. In the early 1980s their own neighbours BRAY considered acquiring MERTON hoping to resume their own production in 1985. However the old BRAY company were already strongly connected with the MATBRO who became successful partners in earthmoving manufacturing. Product range *Merton Overloader - Based on a Fordson E1A Major tractor. (photo above) A David Brown version was also produced called the DB30. *Merton Two Way 454 Loader - based on a 4WD Roadless tractor. *Merton 4 Wheel Drive Shovel 100B *Merton 4 Wheel Drive Shovel 130B - photo here on Album-MMT site (Italian) *Merton Frontloader 59 *Merton Frontloader 80A 4WD *Merton Frontloader 90A *Merton Root Grubber *They also built a 'universal' machine fitted with a Sherman Backhoe built under license in the UK by Bray who were based virtually next door.Classic Plant & Machinery Magazine volume 6, number 6, page 48 See also * List of Construction Plant Manufacturers * Classic Machinery Network References / sources External links * Brochure Photo on CMN.net * B&W photo of loader in action * add more relevant web site links here please Category:Merton Engineering Category:Construction plant manufacturers Category:Ford Conversions Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:Companies founded in 1921 Category:Companies disestablished in 1985